Ice cream freezer



Dec. 25, 1934. G RlcHARDs 1,985,381

ICE CREAM F-REEZER Filed Sept. 14, 1932 17 1 l J7 jpg. j

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Paienai Dee. 25, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE .ICE CREAM FREEZER George Richards, Chicago, Ill. Application September 14, 1932, Serial No. 633,133

' 1 Claim,

This invention relates to an apparatus for' congealing liquids, and more particularly to an improved apparatus for the manufacture of ice cream, although it may be used with equal advantage for other purposes. 1

An object of this invention is to provide in an apparatus of the characterdescribed a novel and improved freezer construction, which comprises the use of a gaseous refrigerating medium, and means associated with said freezer for causing said refrigerating medium to travel a tortuous path in passing through the freezer.

A still further object of this invention is toprovide in an apparatus of the character described a novel and improved freezer having a chamber for receiving the mix and a cooling chamber surrounding said first mentioned chamber, said cooling chamber being arranged so as to permit the passage therethrough of a refrigerating medium for freezing the mix, and means disposed within said cooling chamber for causing the refrigerating medium to traverse a circuitous path in passing through the freezer.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus of the character described which will be simple and economical in both assembly and manufacture, which will be durable in` operation, and which will be highly efficient for carrying out the purposes for which it is designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the appended claim,.it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

For the purpose of facilitating an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing a preferred embodiment thereof, from an inspection of which when considered in connection with the following description, my invention, its mode of construction, assembly and many of its advantages should be readily understood and appreciated.

Referring to the drawing, in which the same characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding or similar parts throughout vthe several figures of the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a re- (cl. a-212) frigerating apparatus constructed in accordance with the principle of my invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view partly in section of my improved freezer construction;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the conduits for supplying the refrigerating medium;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of my improved freezer construction; and

Fig. 5 is a'sectional view of a fragmentary portion of my improved freezer construction.

Referring to the drawing more specifically by characters of reference, the letter A designates generally a refrigerating unit embodying the principles of my invention. Associated in this cabinet is a freezer B of any usual and well known construction, the hardening cabinet C, and the compartments D and E, the former being provided for housing the machinery for actuating the freezer, and the latter being adapted for holding the mix prior to the disposition of the same within the freezer for freezing the same.

The refrigerantemployed in my improved apparatus maybe of any suitable type, but preferably methyl chloride, this refrigerant being supplied in the manner to be hereinafter more fully described to the three units hereinbefore mentioned. In other words, as illustrated more fully diagrammatically in Figure 3 of the drawing, suitable mechanism and conduits are provided for supplying refrigerant to the hardening compartment A, to the freezer B, and to the mix compartment E. The connections are so arranged as to permit the cutting in and out of any one or al1 of said compartmentsfrom the refrigerating supply line.

As already stated the freezer B may be of any Well known and suitable construction, with the exception that I provide novel and improved means for causing a more thorough circulation of the refrigerant through the cooling chamber of the freezer. As illustrated in Figurel 2, the freezer B contains the cylinder 10, within which is adapted to be received the mix to be frozen. said cylinder having the usual agitating means (not shown) disposed therein and the usual driving means, such as a motor or the like (not shown) disposed below said cylinder and in position to actuate said agitating means. Aswthis particular construction of agitating mears and` driving means for the same forms no part of the present invention, it is not thought necessary to describe the same in more detail.

Secured to and surrounding the cylinder 10 is a second concentric cylinder ll, which is so arranged asto provide the space 12 between the cylinders and 11. The cylinder 11 is rigidly secured at its lower end such as by soldering or the like, as shown at 13, to the cylinder 10 and the upper end thereof is rigidly secured in an annular groove provided on the under side of the flange 14 of the cylinder 10 as more clearly shown at 15. Thus, it will be apparent that a gas tight chamber 12 is formedA within which the refrigerant is adapted to be circulated for cooling the inside of the cylinder 10 to cause a freezing of the mixture disposed therein.

As already explained, the refrigerant preferably employed in my improved system is a gas such as methyl chloride or the like, which gas is adapted to enter the cooling chamber 12 at the lower end thereof by means of the inlet 16 and is adapted to be returned to the compressor from the upper end of the cooling chamber 12 by means the outlet 17. In order to cause the gas or refrigerant to travel a tortuous path in passing through the cooling chamber 12, I provide the means 18, which is disposed within the cooling chamber in such: a manner as to cause said refrigerant entering said chamber to travel a circuitous path before it is permitted to escape through the outlet 17 at the upper end thereof.

means employed in my improved freezer illustrated 'in the drawing is that of a wire, or the like, which is wound in the form of a spiral around the'outer periphery of the cylinder 10. By reason of this construction it will be apparent that upon entering the cooling chamber 12, the gas will be prevented from rising directly upwardly and escaping from the outlet 1'7. The disposition of the spiral wire 18 will cause said gas to 'travel substantially around the entire outer surface of the cylinder l0, with the result that a greater cooling effect will be had upon the mixture disposed within said cylinder.

In Figure 3 of the drawing is illustrated diagrammatically my improved hook-up for supplying refrigerant to the various compartments of my refrigerating unit. In this embodiment there is illustrated a compressor 19, one end of which is connected by means of the conduit 2O with the supply tank 21. Said supply tank is connected by means of the line 22 with one end of an expansion valve 23, which may be of any standard and Well known construction, said expansion valve having its other end connected with a conduit 24 leading to the inlet 16 of the freezer B. Provided within the conduit 24 is a T connection 25, one branch of which is 4connected with the inlet 16, and the other branch of which is connected with a line 26 leading to the mix compartment E for supplying refrigerant to said mix compartment. As shown in the drawing, the line 26 has also provided therein a further expansion valve 27.

The line 20 leading from the compressor to the supply tank 21 is also provided with a. T connection 28, one branch of which is connected with the line 29, the free end of which line is connected to an expansion valve 30, from which leads a line 31 to the hardening compartment or cabinet C. The return to the compressor, which constitutes the suction lines of the system, is by way of the outlet pipe 17 leading from the freezer to a kerotest valve 32, and the suction lines 33 and 34 leading from the hardening cabinet C and mix compartment E respectively to the Y connection 35, which connection connects with a line 36 leading to a second kerotest valve 37. The valves 32 and 37 are connected to the compressor by means of the lines 38 and 39 respectively.

From the above it should be apparent that the system may be used for supplying refrigerant to the freezer only,V this being accomplished by actuating the valves provided in the T connections 25 and 28 to close the same to their respective by-passes 26 and 29, or by closing the valve in the T connection 28 to the by-pass 29, and opening the valve in the T connection 25 so as to permit the now of refrigerant to both the freezer and the mix compartment, both of saidchambers being supplied with refrigerant to maintain the same at the desired temperatures; or, if desired, the valves in the T connections 28 and 25 may be so adjusted as to supply refrigerant to all of the compartments at the same time. It will also be noted that the valve 40 leading from the supply tank 21 may be actuated to prevent the ow of refrigerant to both the freezer and the mix compartment.

In the illustration shown in Figure 3, the liquid lines 22 and 29 are illustrated by a solid line, Whereas the gas lines 24, 26, and so on, are illustrated by a double line.

From the above it will be noted that I have provided a novel and improved means for caus ing a more thorough circulation of a refrigerant through 'the cooling chamber of a freezer. Also, that I have provided a novel and improved hook-up for supplying refrigerant to a number of compartments, which compartments may be assembled in a single unit, or in more than one unit, said hook-up being especially adapted :for cutting in or out any one or said compartments from the refrigerant line. Attention is further directed to the fact that this type of hook-up is particularly adapted for use in a. refrigerating apparatus combining in a single unit the freezer and hardening compartment, whereby the mix may be frozen and the disposed in the hardening compartment for hardening the same, which compartment may also be used for dispensing the ice cream as the same isneeded. A construc-n tion of this type is illustrated in my Patent No. 1,776,451, dated September 23, 1930.

It is believed that my invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many oi its ad vantages should be readily understood and ap preciated from the foregoing without further description, and should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are, nevertheless, capable of wide variation within the purview of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

Having described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

An ice cream freezer comprising an inner cylinder having an outwardly extending annular flange formed at its uppermost edge, an annular groove formed on the underside of said flange and arranged in spaced relation to the outer wall of said cylinder, an outer cylinder arranged in spaced relation to the said inner cylinder and having its upper edge received within the annular groove to form a gas tight joint therewith, the lower edge of said outer cylinder being formed with an inwardly extending flange for engaging the inner cylinder and to be soldered thereto to form a gas tight joint therewith, a spiral formed of wire material and having its convolutions spaced apart, the said spiral being arranged in the space between the said cylinders to form a spiral passage in the said space.

GEORGE RICHARDS. 

